Some gardeners are happy with a lemon tree and a tomato patch. Cyrus Roussilhes, from Perth’s southern suburbs, wanted much more. According to ABC’s Gardening Australia, what began as a passing interest grew into a hobby, then a niche collection, and has now become a full-blown obsession. His garden is packed with exotic fruit trees from all over the world, from coffee and jaboticaba to java plum and plenty of oddities. And by his own admission, he can’t help but bring home a few more every month.
A small plot with a very big collection
Cyrus moved to the property in 2008 and has since planted hundreds of trees across just 350 square metres. That’s a modest suburban garden, yet it holds an astonishing variety. He isn’t limited to fruit that tastes great, either. He’s curious about all fruiting plants, including ones with tiny fruit or unusual flavours. It’s a good reminder that a garden doesn’t have to follow the usual rules to be rewarding, and that curiosity can fill even the smallest space.
Strange, rare and sometimes surprising plants
A dwarf tamarillo (Solanum abutiloides) produces very small fruit, and that’s part of its charm for Cyrus. Another rare find is chaya (Cnidoscolus aconitifolius), also known as tree spinach. It contains oxalates and cyanide, so it can only be eaten after cooking. Then there’s the “beef and onion” plant, whose savoury leaves are reminiscent of a rich broth or soup. Each plant has its own story, and some come with their own warning label if you want to eat them.
Plants stacked in layers
With so many plants in one place, the garden works in layers. Larger trees provide dappled shade and shelter for the smaller plants beneath them. In that gentle light, a coffee plant (Coffea cv.) is thriving and loaded with fruit, and a large java plum (Syzygium cumini) has just started to fruit. It’s how a natural forest works, with each layer helping the next, and it lets a small block hold far more plants than you’d expect.
Why pots work so well
Cyrus also grows many plants in pots, and he says it’s easy. Pots can be moved indoors if the weather gets too hot or too cold. Excess water drains into the soil beneath them, which helps water the larger trees in the garden. He also says plants often fruit sooner when they’re grown in pots. For renters, balcony gardeners and anyone short on space, that’s encouraging.
The Eugenia family
Eugenias and jaboticabas are Cyrus’s favourite groups of plants, partly because they can fruit in pots and don’t take up much room. There are more than 1200 species in the Eugenia genus, and he grows 26 of them. One example is the pitangatuba (Eugenia selloi), which has yellow, ribbed fruit that smells and tastes like mango, passionfruit and pineapple. Others include the rainforest plum (Eugenia candolleana), with delicious sweet fruit, and Eugenia ‘Observer.’
Jaboticaba, the tree that fruits on its trunk
His large-leaved jaboticaba (Plinia cauliflora) is fruiting for the third time in a year. The fruit grows directly on the bark of the trunk and branches and ripens quickly, which is why it’s known as the Brazilian grape tree. Myrciaria ‘Roxa Blue’ is a different plant that shares the name, and there’s also a hybrid grown in the mid-west of Western Australia, a cross between red jaboticaba and red crystal jaboticaba. Most jaboticabas like some shade, and they’re surprisingly cold tolerant, down to minus 3°C.
How to repot a struggling plant
Cyrus also demonstrates how to rescue a sick-looking ‘Scarlet’ jaboticaba. They love excellent drainage, and he suspects this one has root rot. Out of its pot, it has a very small root system. He half-fills a small pot with premium potting mix blended with coco peat and perlite, then sets the plant slightly above soil level, since jaboticaba can fruit on exposed roots as well as the trunk. It’s a neat lesson in giving a plant what it actually likes.
A passion worth following
Cyrus’s collection shows that you can follow a passion and plant something a little different in your garden. You don’t need a big block, just curiosity and a willingness to experiment. And you never know where it may lead.